The present invention relates to belt sanders, and more particularly to a handle extension for a belt sander.
A belt sander is a sander used in shaping and finishing wood and other materials. It consists of an electric motor that turns a pair of drums on which a continuous loop of sandpaper is mounted. Belt sanders may be handheld and moved over the material, or stationary (fixed), where the material is moved to the sanding belt. Stationary belt sanders are sometimes mounted on a work bench, in which case they are called bench sanders. Stationary belt sanders are often combined with a disc sander.
Handheld belt sanders are used to sand rough edges on flooring products such as plywood strand boards or other materials. For flooring operations, the workman must operate on hands and knees in close proximity to the dust created by the sanding operation. Working in these conditions can cause respiratory problems as well as pain and achiness in the workman's back, knees, and arms.
It is desired to have an attachment for the belt sanders that allows the operator to be in the standing or crouched position when using the belt sander so they are in a more ergonomic position and are away from the dust that is created from the belt sander. Therefore, a handle extension for the belt sander assists in solving these issues.